One&Only Reethi Rah’s Ahmed Fazeen on building award-winning standards and careers in housekeeping

Ahmed Fazeen regards his decision to return to One&Only Reethi Rah as a turning point in his career. He had joined the resort’s pre-opening team in 2005 as a public area attendant, before leaving after a few years to work at another property. Two years later, he chose to come back.

“I think that was the most important decision which I took,” he says. “From there onwards, I moved myself forward.”

Today, as Executive Housekeeper at One&Only Reethi Rah and winner of Housekeeper of the Year at the Hotelier Maldives Awards 2026, Fazeen oversees a department whose responsibilities extend across villas, public areas, laundry and florist services. His account of reaching that position centres on a willingness to learn and to take on work that stretched his abilities.

“I was very much willing to learn. I was very much committed,” he recalls. “I was pushing myself to come out of my comfort zone.”

Receiving the Housekeeper of the Year award brought an opportunity to reflect on that progression. Fazeen describes the recognition from the industry as emotional after his years in hospitality. He also places the achievement within the work of the department.

“It was a very proud moment,” he says. “This award is not only because of me. It is because of my team, every single day, the dedication, the teamwork which we have within our team.”

He regards the award as something for the whole team to enjoy.

Leaders oversee the department’s different sections, including public areas, laundry, florist services and villas. Villa operations cover both day and turndown services. Training, briefings and daily quality checks help maintain consistency across these areas, while communication keeps colleagues aware of what is expected of them.

“The secret is actually teamwork and communication,” Fazeen says. “We heavily invest in training. Briefing is very important, and consistently checking the quality is very important.”

Within that structure, he wants each colleague to understand how their role contributes to the guest’s stay. Assigning tasks is one part of the process; explaining their purpose helps staff connect the work they perform with the experience they are responsible for delivering. It is a principle he applies to both training and the maintenance of standards.

Under his leadership, the team has achieved scores of 100 per cent in Forbes Travel Guide and LQA audits for daily and evening services. Asked about the steps behind those results, Fazeen points to the routines followed throughout the year.

“There is no magic formula, actually. It’s all about consistency,” he says. “We focus heavily on training, coaching, maintaining the standards every single day.”

He resists the idea that preparation should begin when an assessment approaches. “It’s not that you have to wait until the audit comes or somebody is coming,” he says. “It’s a daily practice.”

Fazeen acknowledges that Forbes Travel Guide and LQA operate through different assessment frameworks. His focus is on helping colleagues understand the reasons for the standards they follow. That understanding gives training a purpose beyond completing a sequence of tasks and makes the guest experience part of the discussion about performance.

The relationship between procedure and personal service becomes clearer when he describes the connections that villa valets build with guests. At One&Only Reethi Rah, some guests request particular valets. For Fazeen, those requests indicate that a colleague has established a bond through the service they have provided.

They also offer a way of explaining housekeeping’s contribution to those entering the industry. Much of the department’s work happens behind the scenes, but guests can develop an attachment to the people who look after their villas and remember their preferences.

“Housekeeping is not just about cleaning. It’s more than that,” he says. “For young hoteliers, I would say that it’s a great department where you can learn attention to detail, commitment and teamwork.”

His understanding of luxury includes those relationships. The standards provide a basis for service, while the colleague’s knowledge of the guest helps determine how that service feels. Remembering preferences and taking the initiative to respond to them are part of that responsibility.

“The technical standards are the foundation,” he says. “The personal touch is really, really important to create a memorable experience.”

Developing the people who provide that service occupies much of Fazeen’s attention. With Maldivians making up much of the department, he sees opportunities to help local colleagues build their skills and move into leadership. His own experience gives him an understanding of the challenges they may encounter along the way.

“It’s really important for me to coach, to mentor and to encourage,” he says.

He encourages colleagues to step beyond familiar responsibilities and take on challenges through which they can demonstrate their readiness to progress. The willingness to leave his own comfort zone was part of his development; he now asks others to consider what they could learn by doing the same.

Helping a colleague gain the confidence to take that next step is part of a leader’s work. Fazeen describes seeing Maldivian team members develop their skills and progress into leadership roles as one of the rewards of his position.

He applies the same expectation of effort to himself. Asked what leading by example means within housekeeping, his answer is direct: “You can’t expect something from somebody if you are not willing to do it yourself.”

For him, that means supporting the team during busy operations and demonstrating the standards he asks colleagues to maintain. He links that involvement to trust and respect within the department. The work of leadership includes being present when the operation places demands on the people delivering the service.

The team received recognition beyond the Maldives when it won first place in the Kerzner Worldwide Housekeeping Appreciation Week Award 2025. Fazeen recalls the significance of competing with properties from around the world and the pride that followed the result.

“Most importantly, it brought all the colleagues together and gave everyone a real sense of pride,” he says. “It showed that hard work and creativity were being well recognised at a global level.”

His own career has also been featured in One&Only Group’s “A Stellar Career Journey” series. Being selected from colleagues across the group gave him another reason to reflect on the years since his arrival as an attendant. He hopes that sharing that experience helps other Maldivians recognise the possibilities for their own careers.

“It gave me a chance to reflect on my journey and hopefully it shows others that with dedication and commitment, career growth is possible,” he says.

Those possibilities require continued attention from department leaders. Fazeen identifies evolving guest expectations and the development of talent among the challenges facing housekeeping operations. At Reethi Rah, he describes a response built around continuous training, succession planning and opportunities for colleagues to establish careers over the long term.

As expectations change, colleagues need opportunities to develop the skills required to meet them. Fazeen regards investing in people as part of maintaining the quality of the operation, and developing future leaders remains among his own goals.

He continues to find motivation in seeing colleagues earn promotions and build their careers. Creating experiences that connect with guests also sustains his interest in the work. More than two decades after joining Reethi Rah’s pre-opening team, he still speaks about learning, improving his own practice and finding ways to enhance the operation.

“What continues to motivate me most is the people around me,” he says.

For young Maldivians considering tourism, including those beginning in an attendant role, his advice reflects the steps that shaped his own career. Starting at that level can provide opportunities to learn, provided they are prepared to put in the work and allow time for their development.

“Every step of my journey taught me something valuable,” Fazeen says. “Stay curious, work hard, be patient and always be willing to learn.”